All or Nothing
by Cecil Kain Cerberus
Summary: Arturia "Saber" Pendragon felt her life was coming to a crashing halt when she found herself engaged to the rich yet egotistical Gilgamesh. Yet when he offers her an ultimatum, she can't help but accept. Become his girlfriend for a year and do not fall in love with him in that time span? Easy. Or so she thinks.
1. The Bet

**Because so many of you guys complained sooo much about the length (don't worry, I still love you), I decided to appease the masses and get you folks a longer chapter. You best be grateful, mongrel. XP**

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**The Bet**

* * *

_Who makes a dare over one's love life?_

_Who thinks that one can escape from a close relationship unscathed?_

_Who believes they are untouchable by the forces of nature?_

_From a bet, an all or nothing gamble, to an unfortunate man's circumstances, to another man's cold heart, we spin a tale that follows not one, or two or three, but several._

_Each has their own burdens._

_Each burden affects another._

_The wide cycle that spreads across the chains we call bonds._

* * *

A deep frown set on her pale lips. How did such misfortune fall upon her? What god did she anger in order to receive such retributation?

Arturia Pendragon, known by her childhood nickname, "Saber," was not one to bow out of a challenge. Her father, Uther, raised her better. She was born of high class, daughter to the Excalibur Tea Company, one of Britannia's finest teas. As the heir to her father's enterprise, and also blessed with youthful beauty, it was only natural that there would be many suitors to come and try to woo her.

Thank God in Heaven that her friends had the ability to scare the unwanted attention away. However, her father had expressed concern on many occasions.

'Yes,' she'd tell her father, 'I'm well aware that I am already twenty-one.'

'Yes,' she's reply to her father, 'I know my sisters are married and have children already.'

'Yes,' she'd sigh at her father's insistence, 'I'm fully aware that, as the heir, I have to start a family soon.'

Conversations like these almost came too often, until, that is, three months ago, where Saber had finally lost her temper.

She was willing to admit her fault in the argument. She had been in a foul mood, which only escalated with her father's unyielding persistence. Finally, she snapped. She snarled he had no right to interfere in her life, telling her how and when, where and why, who and what. Once she said everything that had pent up inside, she stormed off, leaving him speechless in her wake.

Saber had felt guilty about her rage towards her father. Uther, while having never truly participated in her life as she grew up, leaving the task of raising her to a friend of her uncle's, he did care for Saber's wellbeing. And Saber also knew the importance of marrying into the right blood. As wrong as it might seem, it would simply be better for her to marry a man with the right connections, right experiences and the right upbringing. Her old childhood crush Shiro just didn't fit the bill at all.

Not that either of them minded today. Saber had long gotten over her crush, as did Shiro. Both were in favor of simply moving on as friends.

Dismissing this as her fate, she went through life carefully observing each suitor with a discerning eye. None of them seemed to click, nothing to stand out and declare, "I am here!" They had all been the same, marrying for money, beauty, and status. They were not willing to grow, not willing to educate themselves or mature. But most importantly, they weren't willing to accept a challenge.

Her failure in selecting a future husband combined with her father's efforts to find her one coupled with their fight only three months ago has thus led to the mysterious phone call from her father a day ago.

"Arturia. Listen, I know that it wasn't that long ago since our … 'discussion' about your martial status. Before you say anything, I would like to admit an old man's fault."

Flabbergasted, Saber could only listen as her father continued rambling on, "You were right. I had no business pestering you with these mundane suitors. I lack the parental eye for it. Therefore, I have made it my goal to get to know you as much as possible. By your friends, our family, the servants and your professors."

Saber could only roll her eyes, but she listened this far and chose to wait to see if another shoe was going to drop.

"And all this led me to find you the perfect match. He is quite the catch; strong, handsome and doesn't tolerate hogwash. Most importantly, he likes a good challenge. Now, contain your excitement, my dear, but I need you to keep listening."

I need you to come to Uruk to meet this fellow. I know you have to fly to Japan for the year in order to get credit for your studies, so I managed to convince him to fly with you to Japan. You two can get to know one another better. I'll leave the wedding date completely up to you, too. Bye, love."

With the click of a receiver as Uther hung up her fate was sealed. Saber didn't get a chance to speak and regretted being courteous to him. It happened so suddenly. As there was no choice in the matter, she had done as her father asked, flying to Uruk to meet the man arranged to be her husband.

As she reflected on her current situation, she found no anger or resentment towards her father. For her people, it was simply common to arrange marriages. She had long ago known that, and she found she didn't mind it all that much. It was no different than her sisters, or for Lancelot and Guinienve, or for Diarmuid and Grainne.

So she did not fret over the thought of her father suddenly arranging a marriage. Actually, she had been rather surprised in the beginning by him allowing her to select a husband. She was a little touched by the effort he had put forth. Unfortunately, in those three months she had been unable to contact him or even apologize to him. All this time he had been making arrangements so she would have a perfect spouse.

Little did she know that her fiancé would be _this_ man.

* * *

In the present day, Saber felt her brow furrow, and her mouth set into an even harder line. Seeing her facial expression with one of amusement, _that _man cocked his head slightly to the side. "I am assuming this arrangement does not please you?"

Resisting the urge to punch the smug look off his face, she instead huffed and turned away from him. "Of course not! But," and this is where she had swallow her pride, "it is also beneath me to go against my father's wishes."

He chuckled darkly. "Yet you think nothing for yourself?" he asked her.

"I do what is best for the whole than the one," her reply was automatic, robotic, almost as if she had practiced that one verse over and over again.

He in turn clicked his tongue in displeasure. What a strange girl. If she wasn't such an interesting thing to watch he might have just lost interest now. However, something was pulling him closer and he wasn't above a challenge. Gilgamesh never turned his nose up to a challenge, and this girl, Arturia, proved to be quite the catch. At least, in entertainment value.

She had an air about her that spoke volumes of who she was. Her presence drew everyone's attention. There was a sense she was a capable leader, with fathomless strength in her movements and speech.

But Gilgamesh, owner of a large oil distributing company, Babylon Gold, carried even more weight. Just looking at a person would render them incapable of speech. His sheer glow seemed to set fireworks off in the bodies of women, both outside and inside the bedroom, clothes or not.

But, upon looking her straight in the eye, her green eyes gave no hint of becoming trapped in his gaze. She had resisted him and continued to resist him. Feeling the faintest hint of a smirk, he offered a challenge, one he hoped she would take;

"Very well then. I have a proposal for you. Become my girlfriend for an entire year and if you haven't fallen head over heels in love with me by then, I will personally cancel the engagement. Do we have a deal?"

Saber looked at him. Green eyes locking onto wine colored eyes. She scrutinized him closely as if looking for something. Gilgamesh did not move. However, he still bore that slightly twisted grin on his face. If Saber were to describe that look, it was one of a predator, a wolf.

Eyes narrowing, she stuck out her hand, answering, "Challenge accepted."


	2. The Challenge

**Note to readers here. This chapter has finally been edited. So if you notice any errors, please let me know. Thank you.**

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**Challenged accepted**

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Gilgamesh was no stranger to how a woman works. He knew what turned them on, what made them tick and, most importantly, what made them aroused. He could read them like a book and anticipate their every need or want without them having to ask.

Yet, during the entire flight to Japan, Saber didn't exhibit the usual female signals. Her face gave away nothing, nor deign to react to his antics.

Saber, meanwhile, hoped that by keeping to herself and not playing this sick game Gilgamesh would be turned off and simply end the game right there.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Gilgamesh never refused a challenge. He loved the game and the pleasure of competing far too much. To him, the game was everything. It presented an obstacle and, best of all, at the end the prize.

In such a mundane and predictable world, he was addicted to the rush of a challenge, to the ensuing tension and conflict.

Looking out the window, Gilgamesh noticed the land fast approaching in the distance. They would be landing in due time, but now, he thought, would be a good time to lay out the rules.

Rules, Gilgamesh believed, were key to every game. They made things more interesting if worded correctly. After all, Gilgamesh didn't attend law school for the kicks.

... Okay, maybe he did. Regardless, it was money well spent.

He leaned closer to the young woman sitting beside him.

Saber did not appreciate the idea of being this close to the egotistical man. Her frown deepened as she sharply asked, "What?"

"Aren't you curious at all about the rules?"

Dumbfounded, Saber gaped at him, gasping, "Rules?!"

Gilgamesh laughed at her reaction. "Well, of course! We can't simply start a game without rules."

Saber blinked in disgust. Rules? Game? He thinks this is all a game? Before she could deal out her full-blown rage Gilgamesh held up a halting hand.

"Arturia, come now," he arched a brow. "We agreed to this little bet. Would it not serve us best to create boundaries for which we will navigate during this time? To ensure we play fairly and do not harm one another in any sort?"

She leaned back, studying him warily. When he was certain she wouldn't interrupt, he continued.

"For starters, since the bet circles around us dating, certain expectations must be met. I should take you on a date at least once a week."

He paused, keenly observing her. Saber just eyed him strangely her lips pressed into a thin line.

Taking that as a good sign, he went on, "Furthermore, as couples often do, we should hang out during our spare time-"

"Absolutely not!" Saber burst out.

That got a reaction, Gilgamesh mused before narrowing his red eyes and asking, "Oh? And why not?"

Saber groaned, shaking her head. She'd rather not share with this man the real reason she was going to Japan. Hopefully, school would suffice as a valid reason. "I have classes. I need to study. This trip isn't a vacation."

"And you suspect I am here for that very reason? A vacation?"

Saber nodded. Gilgamesh stared, wide eyed before cracking a genuine smile for once before bursting out into a fit of laughter. Throwing back his head his body shook with the force of his laugh. It took an entire minute until he finally settled down somewhat.

"You really ... you really think ... that I, haha ... was on ... on vacation?! Hahahaha!" he pants out breathlessly.

Huffing irritably, Saber crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well, is there reason to doubt that assumption? You clearly have the money and resources needed to go wherever you wish, whenever."

Smirking, Gilgamesh rests his cheek on his curled up fist, tilting his head slightly in feigned curiosity. "Oh? And if I had such resources, wouldn't it be reasonable for me to pick a far better location than Fuyuki? Such a small and pathetic town doesn't hold a candle to the marvels of Uruk, even." Closing his eyes, he fondly shakes his head. "No, my dear. The real reason I am gracing that backwater hub is to check on a company I am currently invested in. Also, I've heard from some reliable sources that you have family across sea."

Saber bit her lip. She was hoping he'd never find that out. In fact, she was hoping to keep this entire thing a secret.

When she didn't answer, Gilgamesh's lips twisted into a wide smirk. "Well, I suppose family is important. Very well. I shall not intrude on such matters."

"Where do you get off?" Saber demands, standing up and glaring down fiercely at Gilgamesh.

His only reaction was to smirk wider with a new added emotion. The expression was anything but innocent.

After several moments of their spontaneous staring match, Gilgamesh conceded this particular contest with sigh and shake of his head. "Either way, as I said before, I have no intention of interfering with your family life, if you so wish. However, as I also mentioned, we do need to create rules in order to ensure there is no foul play."

Saber slowly allowed herself to relax back into her seat. "Very well." Sighing heavily, she adds, "Then we shall continue."

Gilgamesh's smile returned. "Excellent."

* * *

The rest of the flight was uneventful for the most part save for Gilgamesh's continued teasing Saber. By the time the aircraft landed, Saber had perfected the art of ignoring him.

As they disembarked from the jet she turned to him and with a curt nod stated, "While we are indeed a formal couple, I do not need for you to escort me to my place of residence."

Gilgamesh smiled darkly. Moments before they landed, he offered to take her to where she was staying. Naturally, she refused. Instead of pestering her further, he changed tactics.

"Very well," he replied, turning to make his way down the stairs before pausing after stepping onto the tarmac to momentarily to glance back. "However, we do need to set a time for our first official date. Meet me tomorrow at Ahnenerbe, around noon. It's in the Shinto district."

Saber merely grunted in acknowledgement as she strode away from him toward the terminal. Gilgamesh did not follow her, which was a nice reprieve from his antics.

As she entered the terminal, a white haired, red-eyed woman in white beamed at Saber the moment she exited the gate.

"Saber! It's wonderful to see you again!" the woman ran up to Saber, her arms spread out wide in greeting.

Saber laughed in return, "Irisviel, it has been too long!"

The two women embraced, laughing and chatting. Or at least Irisviel was. Saber, however, found that her energy was simply not there. Irisviel seemed to notice, too, because she loosened her hold.

"Saber?"

Looking up with a tired smile, Saber replied, "It's nothing, Irisviel. I'm just a little tired."

It almost felt wrong to hide the truth, but Saber had to remind herself she was tired. Tired from listening to that arrogant, egotistical bastard for the entire flight.

Still, for such an arrogant, egotistical he at least had some class.

Like when creating the rules for their little bet. Even though Gilgamesh made most of them, he was willing to let Saber chime in with her own suggestions. By the time the agreed on the rules, she at least got some compromises regarding her rather distasteful situation.

_Rule 1 - Saber must go on one date with Gilgamesh a week. Exceptions being school, family, or health related._

_Rule 2 - No interference with the family of either._ (Saber thanked her lucky stars that she managed to get that one in without much fuss.)

_Rule 3 - If one person desires to spend time with the other, excuses outside of family, school, or health is not accepted._

_Rule 4 - No telling anyone about the bet. _(Saber drilled that in pretty bad.)

_Rule 5 - As a couple, both are expected to act like one. Meaning gifts, kissing on lips ONLY _(Saber did what she could, but Gilgamesh was stubborn)_, and holding hands._

_Rule 6 - No sex._ (All Saber's doing, Gilgamesh wasn't happy, but he eventually relented.)

_Rule 7 - No pretending to be single. _(Even if Saber didn't like Gilgamesh, she would never sink that low.)

_Rule 8 - Saber will not throw away any gifts from Gilgamesh._ (She hated to bite her tongue on that, but Gilgamesh seemed to almost know exactly what she wanted to do.)

For the most part, the rules were, in a sense, fair. Both had the ability to control how the relationship will work. Of course, only Saber wanted to do was get out of this arranged marriage.

However, the idea of dismissing this was ... well, it seemed cruel to her father. However odd and misguided his conclusions were, to spit on his decision would be cruel, particularly if there was no good reason. Arrogance just wasn't a good enough reason.

So Saber was left in a bind. Being honest with herself, she reluctantly admitted that if Gilgamesh were simply an arrogant, egotistical bastard, then she could deal with that. It wasn't exactly welcomed, but this was the hand she was dealt with.

That was her thought prior to the bet. Now, she would only have to deal with Gilgamesh for a year. Afterward, she could continue with her life, never worrying about that man again.

Her thoughts about him finally ended as Irisviel guided her into the car waiting outside. Sighing into the comfortable leather seat, Saber allowed herself to relax completely. Irisviel, she noticed, was watching her carefully, but she didn't mind. She knew she'd have to explain Gilgamesh eventually, but for now, she'd like to push him far out of her mind.


	3. Preparation

**And a little time to reflect and get into Gilgy's head more. BTW, again, written on the iPad and not yet edited. Pretty much expect this unless I say otherwise. Chapter 2 has been fully edited, so look for errors there if any.**

* * *

**Preparation **

* * *

Despite her plan to relax and forget the golden haired man, Saber found she simply couldn't. Her thoughts continued to be plagued by him; relentlessly reminding her of the situation she placed herself in.

How was she to explain him to her friends? Irisviel would certainly see through every lie Saber would try to conjure up and most certainly would disapprove of Gilgamesh's connection to Saber. Kiritsugu, well, he was a different man of sorts, one you could never really tell what was going through his head. He and Saber weren't very close, but he listened to Irisviel, so most likely he would agree with his wife.

Shirou and Illya were also something to think about. Shirou would definitely try to talk her out of the entire ordeal. After all, he was heart broken over Saber's confession they could no longer be together. He never approved of Saber's inability to simply say 'no' to things like arranged marriages. Illya, like her father, was a hard one to read, even though Saber had a pretty good idea what Illya would try to do when she meets Gilgamesh.

As tempting as it'd be to allow the white haired girl torture the golden haired man, Saber's pride wouldn't allow for such things. To allow others to perform duties only she could do was simply shameful.

'No,' Saber thought to herself. 'This situation was born from my own York, and thus, I shall deal with it by myself. After all, it was a simple bet. Do not fall in love with Gilgamesh by the end of the year while dating him. It was child's play, really.'

"Saber?"

Blinking, the blond turned to Irisviel. "Yes?"

Facing her long time friend, Irisviel studied her facial expression for a moment before expressing her thoughts. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't pry, but you just seem so . . . spaced out. Is something bothering you?"

Yes, a certain golden man's face, to be exact, Saber mentally replied, but she kept her face completely neutral she instead answered, "It's my father. He is up to his old tricks on finding me a husband. But you needn't worry, Irisviel. I have things under control."

She gave her best attempt at a smile, but it was weak and faded quickly.

Irisviel looked doubtful. In fact, she began opening her mouth in reply when Saber's peripheral vision caught sight of oncoming traffic, causing the young woman to shout, "Irisviel, the road!"

The white haired woman screamed as she yanked the steering wheel in another direction from the honking car sailing by them. Frowning, Irisviel waved her fist, shouting, "Jackass!"

Saber, in the meantime, was clenching the seat, green eyes wide in shock. "Umm, Irisviel?" she tried asking calmly, despite the constant hammering of her heart against her chest, "You were on the wrong side of the road."

Harrumphing, Irisviel pouted, "Well, my toy needs more space compared to other cars. People should just move."

Noting the sarcasm in her tone, Saber couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

* * *

The rest of the ride was uneventful, as it appeared Irisviel had completely forgotten about Saber's earlier mood. In fact, Saber had also forgotten her earlier distress. It seems a good scare will take anything off the mind.

It certainly helped that Saber had to once again guide Irisviel safely through traffic and down the narrow street towards the small manor that the Emiya family occupied. This place would be Saber's temporary residence for the year from July to the same month next year. She would live as the Emiyas guest.

While this was the first time she would living with Irisviel's family, the area wasn't unfamiliar. When she was younger her father frequently took her on business trips, preparing the young heir. It was on these trips where she would meet acquaintances and, of course, close friends.

Irisviel's bond with Saber was formed during one of these trips. It was a dual purpose trip; get a contract with a particular family that had some excellent rights over some rare tea cultivated in India, and find a proper boarding school in a foreign country, as her father was a firm believer in providing culture and education together.

Whilst visiting the family owning the rights, Saber met Irisviel, both young, yet neither talented in social interactions. Saber supposed this was how the two hit it off; they were both from very wealthy families, having their paths set out before them the day they were born. They became friends relatively quickly, due to Irisviel's bright and upbeat character.

Even after the business was settled, Irisviel and Saber remained close, tracking each other via letters and eventually emails. The two took time to visit one another, and Saber even attended Irisviel's wedding, under the "condition" that Irisviel gets to attend Saber's.

Saber didn't realize she had lost herself in thought before being nudged by Irisviel, who now had a slightly worried look on her face. "Saber? Are you feeling alright?"

Blinking back into reality, Saber shook her head, breaking her thoughts. "Ah, sorry, Irisviel. I was just … thinking about things."

"What sort of things?"

Now that the question was posed, Saber suddenly remembered her previous misgivings. Tomorrow, she was supposed to go on a date with Gilgamesh.

The arrogant, egotistical bastard. Just thinking about him caused a rain cloud to form over her head. However, as she exited the car and followed Irisviel to the large gate that surrounded the manor, she forced herself away from the memory.

Looking up at the white painted wood and blue roof-like structure that decorated the top, Saber felt like she was stepping into medieval Japan. Which, in an odd, ironic sense, reminded her of the Renaissance fairs that seasonally occur in America, or the historical fairs that capture the ancient spirit in Europe. In fact, Saber half expected a samurai to be training in the courtyard the moment she entered the compound.

Of course, there was far from reality. When Irisviel opened the large wooden door, with Saber following suit, they were greeted by an empty courtyard littered with various objects. Toys, a baseball, and some other objects that Saber didn't recognize.

Sliding the screen open, Irisviel hollered inside, "Illya, Shirou, Kiritsugu, Saber's here!"

Suddenly, almost like someone had flipped a switch, there was noise, ruckus from the back, probably from the dojo area located in the back.

And Saber was knocked over by two overeager friends.

* * *

Gilgamesh, in the meantime, was also settling in to his temporary residence. While the gold haired man had high standards, he was a reasonable man and knew how ridiculous it would be to live in a mansion everywhere he goes.

That's why he selected a suite, one that followed many of his tastes, yet was located in a convenient location in Fuyuki. Really, the suite was smaller than he had hoped, but again, it was only temporary. He believed he would win his little bet with Saber by the end of the third month.

However, Gilgamesh's tastes cased a bias that most average people don't hold. This "suite" took up the entire floor, a large king size bed, a kitchen with all the essentials, and a living room with a large HD flat screen.

A little like home in Uruk, but truly a far cry in Gilgamesh's opinion.

His luggage were already set out in the living room, room service having already taken care of part one of his "settling down." The next part was unpacking, something Gilgamesh had always preferred to do himself.

To control his surroundings, where his items went, what location was worthy of his treasures. That's what it meant to be king, ruler over all. And though he may not be king, he was certainly the master of his life, how he spent time, where he went.

Going about his domain, arranging and rearranging as he saw fit, Gilgamesh thought about the young woman he was engaged to. She teased him in the worst way possible. But it was not the temptation of her body that allured him to her. Her green eyes, as lovely as they were, only served as a gateway into her very soul, a fiery tempest where a dragon lay dormant, powerful and fierce.

Gilgamesh always preferred women with a spark. Those easy picks only amused him for a moment, a one night fling before moving on. Basically, it was like scratching an itch. But these strong types served as a far greater asset for entertainment. These types needed to be treated like gazelle, with him as a lion slowly stalking them, encircling them before trapping them in its jaws.

Yes, these women made his life truly entertaining, a rarity he jumped at a chance to face. And to be honest, he only met two of this rare breed. Both he had eventually left, his then teenage mind preoccupied with more important things.

He wondered how long Arturia would last, once she succumbed to his spell. Would she break, like those other two did before her, becoming sniffing jesters clinging desperately to false hope? Would she become a puppet, dancing to his tone, willing to do anything to please him? He was perfectly aware of the engagement, true, and how he simply couldn't dump her out on the street for no good reason.

A dark smile crept on his face as he finished his arranging. Well, certainly he could seize her dry before cancelling the entire thing. After all, she'll probably want nothing to do with him afterward, like he would with her. He just prayed she would last long to amuse him.

* * *

**Gilgy's a dark sadist, ain't he? Let me tell you, I've been getting nothing but praise over his characterization. And, to be honest, he's one of my most favorite characters to write. He has so much depth to him, I just get giddy every time. Anyway, I hope to keep this up for your viewing pleasure.**


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